Method for manufacturing acoustic coupling member

Abstract

A first mold has a recessed surface portion. A second mold that has a protruding surface portion and a flat surface portion is laid on top of the first mold, thereby forming a first cavity between the recessed surface portion and the protruding surface portion and a second cavity between the first mold and the flat surface portion. The first cavity and the second cavity are filled with a first resin material. A third mold having a flat inner wall surface is laid on top of the first mold and the first resin, thereby forming a space between the inner wall surface and the first resin so as to correspond to the protruding surface portion. This space is filled with a second resin material, and thus an acoustic coupling member is molded.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing an acoustic coupling member, the method comprising:
 laying, on top of a first mold that has a recessed surface portion, a second mold that has a protruding surface portion having a certain height from a reference plane and a flat surface portion extending in the reference plane continuously with the protruding surface portion, thereby forming a first cavity between the recessed surface portion and the protruding surface portion and a second cavity between the first mold and the flat surface portion, where the second cavity is continuous with the first cavity and has a larger cavity thickness than a cavity thickness of the first cavity, and filling the first cavity and the second cavity with a first resin material;   hardening the first resin material, thereby molding a resin body having a thin portion located within the first cavity and a thick portion located within the second cavity, the thick portion extending outward from an outline of the thin portion continuously therewith and having a larger thickness than a thickness of the thin portion;   laying a third mold, the third mold having a flat inner wall surface that comes into contact with the thick portion of the resin body, on top of the first mold, thereby forming a space between the inner wall surface and a depression that is formed in the resin body so as to correspond to the protruding surface portion, and filling the space with a second resin material; and   hardening the second resin material such that the second resin material is continuous with the resin body, thereby molding an acoustic coupling member.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein after the first resin material is cured, the second mold is detached from the first mold, and the third mold is laid on top of the first mold with the resin body remaining on the first mold.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein after the first resin material is cured, the resin body is released from the first mold, and the resin body is transferred onto a mold having a cavity surface that has the same shape as the first mold.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein flash is formed between the first mold and the second mold, extending outward from an outline of the resin body.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 applying a third resin material to a surface of the resin body, the surface conforming to the first mold.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the protruding surface portion constitutes a partial cylindrical surface having generating lines that are parallel to the reference plane, and the protruding surface portion is positioned facing the recessed surface portion that is defined in the first mold, the recessed surface portion constituting a depression that constitutes a partial cylindrical surface having generating lines that are parallel to said generating lines, and demarcates the first cavity between the protruding surface portion and the first mold.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the thick portion is formed into a frame shape that surrounds a perimeter of the thin portion.   
     
     
         8 . An acoustic coupling member, comprising:
 a thin portion that is formed of a first resin material and that extends, at a position separated from a reference plane, along the reference plane;   a thick portion that is formed of the first resin material, that has a larger thickness than a thickness of the thin portion, and that defines a flat surface, the flat surface extending outward from an outline of the thin portion continuously therewith and being in contact with the reference plane; and   a connecting portion that is formed of a second resin material, the second resin material being different from the first resin material, and that fills a space between the reference plane and the thin portion and is in close contact with the thin portion.   
     
     
         9 . The acoustic coupling member according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the second resin material has a Shore hardness value that is smaller than that of the first resin material.   
     
     
         10 . The acoustic coupling member according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the second resin material contains filler, a value of an amount of said filler that is contained being smaller than that of the first resin material.   
     
     
         11 . The acoustic coupling member according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the thick portion is formed into a frame shape that surrounds a perimeter of the thin portion.   
     
     
         12 . The acoustic coupling member according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein a surface of the thin portion, the surface being located on a side opposite to the reference plane, is formed by a partial cylindrical surface having generating lines that are parallel to the reference plane.   
     
     
         13 . A probe, comprising:
 the acoustic coupling member according to  claim 8 ;   an ultrasonic device that is coupled to the acoustic coupling member; and   a housing that supports the ultrasonic device.   
     
     
         14 . An electronic apparatus, comprising:
 the acoustic coupling member according to  claim 8 ;   an ultrasonic device that is coupled to the acoustic coupling member; and   a processing unit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output from the ultrasonic device.   
     
     
         15 . An ultrasonic imaging apparatus, comprising:
 the acoustic coupling member according to  claim 8 ;   an ultrasonic device that is coupled to the acoustic coupling member;   a processing unit that is connected to the ultrasonic device, processes an output from the ultrasonic device, and generates an image; and   a display device that displays the image.   
     
     
         16 . An acoustic coupling member, comprising:
 a first acoustic coupling layer that is provided on a reference plane; and   a second acoustic coupling layer that is provided on the reference plane and that covers the first acoustic coupling layer,   wherein a hardness of the first acoustic coupling layer is smaller than a hardness of the second acoustic coupling layer.   
     
     
         17 . The acoustic coupling member according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein a thickness of a region of the second acoustic coupling layer that is in contact with the reference plane is larger than a thickness of a region of the second acoustic coupling layer that is in contact with the first acoustic coupling layer.   
     
     
         18 . An ultrasonic probe, comprising:
 an ultrasonic device;   a first acoustic coupling layer that is provided on the ultrasonic device; and   a second acoustic coupling layer that is provided on the ultrasonic device and that covers the first acoustic coupling layer,   wherein a hardness of the first acoustic coupling layer is smaller than a hardness of the second acoustic coupling layer.   
     
     
         19 . The ultrasonic probe according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein a thickness of a region of the second acoustic coupling layer that is in contact with the ultrasonic device is larger than a region of the second acoustic coupling layer that is in contact with the first acoustic coupling layer.